Can-filling machine.



H. C. SMART. CAN FILLING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULVZI, ma.

Patented May 4, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

H. C. SMART.

CAN FILLING MACHINE.

APPLICATHJN man Jun/27. mm.

1 ,1 38,5 1 1 Patented May 4, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- w hren/or Latte/mug UNITED STATES PATEW OFFICE.

HENRY C. SKAB'I', OF NEW YORK, N. Y.. ASSIGNOB TO STANDARD OE COMPANY OF NEW YORK. 02 NEW YORK, N. Y.. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CAN-FILLING meme.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1915.

To ou i lmm it may concern Beit known that I, Hnxnv SMART, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, borough of Brooklyn, and county of Kings, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in (amFilling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates more particularly to machines for contemporaneously filling a number of cans with g'asolene in measured quantities; but means within the invention can be .used for filling cans with other liquids, as well as with gasolene, and for filling oth'er receiving vessels, as well as cans, with any desired liquid; and each of the improvements composing the invention is intended to be secured for all the uses to which it can be applied, with or without modification.

For filling a number of receiving vessels with measuredquantities of liquid, machines have heretofore been devised which include a group of measuring vessels provided with valved inlet passages and valved outlet passages, together with means for operating the inlet valves in unison and means for operating the 'outlet valves in unison; supports being also provided for holding the receiving vesels in position to have the contents of said measuring ve$els simultaneousl deliveied thereto. In what is considere the best 'and most complete form of the present invention, the improvements composing the latter are grafted on or employed in connec- (ion with a machine of this general description; but some of the improvements admit of a wider application; .and modifications, additions and subtraetions can be made indefinitely so long as the substance-0f any one or more of the hereinafter written claims is taken.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a front elevation (partly broken away) of a can filling machine in accordance with the invention; 2 is an end elevation of the same; Fig- 3 is a partial view in vertical section in a plane parallel to that of. Fig. 2; aniFigJ a detail view in vertical section in a parallel to that of Fig. l.

t The pipe a supplies the gasolene or other liquidi tq the chamber b; which in turn supplies liquid to a group of measuring vessels c. (melt-with an outlet passage I for delivering-liquid into the corresponding can 6. The

pipe a is provided with a valve f to be closed when the machine is not in use and to be opened to allow the-liquid to flow when it is In use and capable of adjustment to regulate therate of flow through said pipe I. At g Is a valve for letting in and shutting off the supply of liquid to the chamber b each time the latter is to receive a supply ofliquid.

In order that the valve ma be quickly operated by the attendant, it is provided with a lever handle it.

top of the main measuring portion of the vessel; and any such termination would have a certain advantage over inlet passages opening into the tops of the main measuring portions of the measuring vessels of a can filling machine.

When the valves 1 are open the inlet passages are interconnected outside of said valves, namely. as shown through thesupply chamber 5, in such manner that th liquid will stand above said valves at the same level in all the vessels c. .\n indicator for exhibiting such common level could be applied to the supply chamber or to any of the measuging vessels. Gage glasses :25 are shown applied to the chamber 1) and will be hereinafter again referred to.

The supply chamlier L is shown in the form of a tank or large chamber; and the measuring vessels 0 are located as shown within said tank. The vessels I are shown as provided with supporting ca r i. (Fig, 3) which rest on I beams j upheld at the ends by brackets L- on the end walls of the tank [1.

The valves I are connected with me ns-for simultaneously opening and closing them- As shown, the stem m of each valve passes hro'zgh a stuffing hox n. on top of the tank and is drawn upward against its seatby a spring p, between the cover of the stalling box and the fitting q; which is fast on the valve stem. The levers r, fulcrurned each of them in :1 bracket 3, act at their front ends on the valve stems through the fittings g and at their rear ends bear upon the eccentrics t fast on the rock shaft 2:; which is journaled in brackets and extends lengthwise of the tank and is turned by the handle arm w When the arm 1!: is drawn down, the eccentrics t raise the rear ends of levers r and depress the \clves I to open them, When the arm is is raised the springs p lift the valves 1 into contact with their respective seats.

The vessels 6- open at the top into the tank 1-;whieh is closed on top except for the vent pipe w, leading to any desired point. There is thus no chance for vapors of gasolene or other volatile liquid to escape into the atmosphere of the room in which the can filling apparatus is located. The open tops of the vessels 0 allow the air to escape into the tank when said vessels are receiving liquid and to flow back into said vessels when they deliver liquid into their respective cans.

It is intended to have the measuring "e,- sels all of tlie some capacity; but the desired uniformity is not easy, if possible, to secure without adjusting devices Each measuring vessel 6 is shown, therefore. as provided with on adjustable devlce z, herein termed a liquid displacer, which is designed to occupy a portion of the space be low the liquid level in said measuring vessel when the latter has received its charge It would best fill the interior of the vessel approximately; so that the addition of a comparatively small quantity of liquid to the contents of n measurin vessel, or its subtraction therefronn'res ts in a com paratively large change in the liquid level therein when said level is intermediate the top and bottom of said displacer. The ad j 0 means shown include a screw tbrea ed rod 2 engaging a threaded opening in the displace: through a stuffing box 3 on top of tank 5. At dis a hand wheel for operating the rod 2. 7

Each spout i poses through :i stufling box 5 in the front wall of tank 6 and is provided with a valve 6 operated by a lever arm 7 to open and close the some. These lever arms are moved simultaneously through the connecting rod 8'; which is jointed to the operating lever 9 turning (as shown) on a pin 10 that is fast in a socket 11 on the tank 6. To prevent escape of gasolene at the valve, the valve stem passes through a stulling box 12 and a screw cap 13 covers the small end of the valve. Tile plate 14 b62118 upon the casing of the valvefitting 18 (wbicla' is supported b the valve casing) and the latter fast on the nozfle 16. The nozzle is providedfwith an adjustable extension 19;; which moves in and out at the lower end ,of said nozzle; and the air duct is provided with an adjustable extension 20, which moves upand down at the lower end of the air duct and is provided at its own lower end with a. packing ring 21. The two extensions are com with each other by spider arms 22 and are moved by a forked lever arm 23 of rock shaft 24 engaging pins 25 on the extension 1 :0.

Each air duct 17 communicates through a pipe {herein above mentioned) with the air space. of the tank 6. ach p' i is branched around its spout d. Them 24 is journaled in brackets 26 and is moved by the lever arm 27.

To allow the introduction of the cans 8 below the spouts d, the extensions 19 and '30 of the liquid nozzles and the air ducts are raiw through the lever arm 27 and rock shaft 2-1. When the cans are in place, the extensions are lowered so as to insert the nozzle extension 19 into the hole in the top of the can and to bring the packing 21 of the air duct extension 20 into contact with the can top.

The tank I) is filled with the one or other liquid to a predctermin level by opening the valve 9. When the liquid reaches said level, the valve g is closecL' To facilitate this filling of tank b one or more gage glasses 28 are provided so that the liquid level can be seen in said glasses; and said gage glases are best arranged 0p a mirror 29; which is provided with one or more graduations 30 for each gage glas. As shown, there are three glasses and three lines 30, one for each glass. These lines indicate the respective levelsto which the tank is filled with H aid for thrdedif ferent measurements %'hen the tank 6 has been filled to one of these levels and the valve 9 has been closed, all the valves 1 are simultaneously opened by the attendant by drawing down the lever arm 10; The liquid then enters the measuring vessel 0 through theinlet passages at their lower parts until the liquid level is the same inside of sold measuring vessels 0 as in the tank b. A predetermined quantity of liquid will then have entered each measurirg vessel; wliich quantity will be the some v for each vessel; because any inequalities in the interiors fthe vessels will have been corrected by the adjustments of the displacers c. The filling of the measuring vessels to the level of the liquid intank 6' JVlll be shown by the cessation of movement in the gage glasses '28; or itmay be shown by reference to graduated lines 31 on the mirror 29.

After filling the measuring vessels 0, the valves 1 are all of them closed; and the valves (3 are all of them opened so that the liquid can run out-into the cans e. The air from the cans e passes through the pipes 9 into the tank 6; so that it does not interfere with the inflow of liquid and doesnot carry vapors into the room in which the fillin apparatus mayheplaoed. By letting liquid into the tank I) while the measuring vessels 0 are discharging and by filling the measuring vwls c from the tank I) after closure of the valve 9 in supply pipe a, no airneed enter or leave the tank I); and the, latter might consequently be wholly closed against egress or ingress of air if the air from pipes 31 were otherwise carried oil. The gage glass communicates at 33 with the interior-of one of the spouts 5 and at 34 with one of the measuring vemels c, and serves to indicate to the attendantwhen'the measuring vesels c, are empty. When this occurs, he closes all the valves 6, lifts the extensions 19 and '20 of the liquid nozzles and the air ducts and efiects the removal of the was and the replacement of them with cans e to be filled.

Simultaneouslv with the opening of valves 6 the attendant should open the valveg so as to fill the tank b while the measuring vessels c are emptying. To avoid waits, the tank b should be filled at least as soon as the measnl'n vessels 0 are empty; so that as soon as the attendant has closed the emptying valves 6 he may open the filling valves Z. A perforated plate 35 may he placed in the tank b a short distance below the liqnidlevel when the tank has been filled in order to check the swas or surging oiji id in the tank 5 while ing andtlms to bring it more quickly to a quiet mite. Other arrangements for preventing or avoiding swashing or surging either :11 fillmg the tank or at other timescan be used.

To facilitate the introduction and removal of the canse a turntable 36 is shown; but any known or suitable means for supporting a number of separate receiving vemels can be employed. The turntable 36 as shown is mounted on rollers 37; which travel on a circular track about a central pivot 38. The table is square in plan; and at each edge there are places between the angular supports39 forthecanse. Theeansecanbe inserted in these places until they come mto contact with the back'piece 40.

While filling a rowof cans, another rod of empty cans can be placed on the turntable. 'hen the filled cans are turned out from under the spouts (I, the same quarter turn of the turntable will bring empty cans under the spouts- While the operation of the machine as described has been to supply to tank 6 all the liquid which is to be measured by the vemels a before opening the inlet valves 1. it is also possible to supply all or any desired part of said liquid to tank 17 while the valves 5 are open. For example, ifthe-liquid tank b should be standing at one of the lines 31 and the vessels 0 should have been just emptied through valves 6 (valve 5- being closed), the valves 6 might lie closed and the valves l and g thenbe opened together and left open until the liquid level in tank 6 (which would naturally fall temporarily as r the liquid entered the vessels 0 until it atained the same level in them as in tank 5) should again reach that oneof the lines 3! which should correspond with the quantity to be measured by each of the vessels 1-,

than would otherwise be possible (my, to the level of one of the lines 30) in order 'to meosurevery largequautities of liquid.

In either way of working, the lower down on the measuring vessels the inlet passages are placed. the quicker. will the vessels c fill up to the level of the liquid in tank I); be-

cause the longer will be the unbalanced column tending to force the liquid into said vessels 6' when the inlet valves 2 are opened.

As shown, the measuring vessels are wholly above the bottom of tank .5; and such 1 construction is primurilv. but not cxclue 4 surely, intended by the recital that .sazd measuring vesselshave their mam measurmg portions above sald tank lmttom. Even if the main measuring portions of vessels 2 V were not wholly above the tank lmttom, there would he an unbalance column in the tank tending to force the liquid into said vessels 0 when the valves 2 are 0 ned until the liquid level is the same insiuo and. outside of said vessels 0.

I claim as my invention or discovery 1. A machine for filling a mzmlw; of receiving vessels simultaneously with meas ured quantities of liquid. comprising 'a supplvchamher. a number of measuring vessels which have their measuring portions within said supply chamber and are provided with stationary inlet passages opening from the lower partof said chamber into the lower parts of said measuring vmls and also with stationary outlet. pas ages extending from said measuring vessels through a wall of said supply chamber, two distinct sets of valves for cont olling said inlet and said outlet pas ages respectivclv. the inlet valves being located within and the delivery valves outsidc nf said supply hamber, and me as to; moving the valves of each set in unison, operating means for the inlet valves extending through a wall of said supply chamber mod quantities 66 Tessifor operation outside the same, and the outictpasages between said outside delivery valves and the measuring vessels being in communication with the latter so that portions of the measured ehar es are contained in said pas ages, substantially as de scribed.

2. A machine for filling a number of receiving vessels simultaneously with -meas ured quantities of liquid, comprising a supply chamber, a number of upright measuring vessels which have their measuring portions within said supply chamber and are provided with stationary inlet passages opening through the bottoms of said measuring vessels from said supply chamber and also with valved outlet passages extending horizontally from said measuring vessels through a vertical wall of said supply chamber, valves in the form of horizontally disgosed disks which are movable up and down controlling said inlet passages, and means which includeverticgl stemsdattached M to said disks an exten ing uptardly therefrom for operating said inlet valves in unison, substantially as described 3. A machine for filling a number of reoeiving vessels simultaneously with measm'ed'quantities of liquid, comp g a so 3. ply chamber, a mnnber of measuring vesse which have their measuring portions within said chamber and are provided with stationary inlet passages opening from said into the lower parts of said measzi iresiels and which are also provided with stationary outlet passags extending from 'said measuring vessels through a wall of seidchamber for delivering the c es in said receiving vessels, vertically move is so valves which control said inlet passages and which have longitudinally movable stems ooimected directly with said valves and cm tending upward though the tops of said vessels ass said chamber and de- 45 livery v i ves which are located outside of said chamber in said stationery outlet passngs, substantially as descrihsd.

4. A mac' "is for filling a number of reeeiving vessels simnitanecnsly with measof liquid, comp "ng supchamber, a number of nieasu Jig ves els which have their spasm-log portions within said chamber and are pro-aided with station ary inlet passages opening from said charm 5511c: into the lower parts of said measuring ve sels and which are also provided with stationary outlet passages extending from said measuring Yesrougli :1 ell of Sulil chamber for the charges to l v zn vahle which control 5;. e.- i snes and mu h have longitudinally movable stems connected directly with said valves and,extemlin irard through the tops of said measuring trials and said chamber, vertically adjust able displaccz's which are located in said measuring vessels above said inlet valves and approximately fill the horizontal areas of said measuring vessels and which are provided with openings through which said valve stems pass, rods connected with said displacers and extending upward through the tops of said measuring vessels and said chamber, means for adjusting said rods individuallv so as to shift the d splaoers indi' vidnally in a longitudinal direction, and'delivery valves which are located outside of said chamber in said stationary outlet passages, substantially as described.

1 machine for filling :1 number of re-- ceiving vessels simultaneously with measured quantities of liquid, comprising a supply chamber closed on top in order to exclude the aeriform contents of said chamher from the atmosphere of the room in which it is placed, a nnmber of measuring vessels which have their measuring rtions within said chamber and are provi ed with stationary inlet pawiges op c from said chamber into the lower parts dd said measuring vessels and which are also provided with stationary outlet passages extending from said measuring vessels through a Wall of said chamber for deliyerin the charges to said receiving vessels, vertically movable val -res which control said inlet passages and which have longitudinally movable stems connected directly with said valves and extending upward through the tops of said measuring vessels and said chamber, vertically adjustable displacers which are located in said measuring vessels above said inlet valves and ap roximatcly fill the horizontal areas of sanfmeasuring vessels and which are provided with openin% through which said valve stems as, rods connected with said displaeers an extending upward through the tops ofsaid measuring vessels and said chamber, means for adjusting said rods individually so as to shift the displacers individually in a longitudinal direction, stufiing-hoxes on the cover of said chamber around said valve stems and therein, and a screw-threaded 'adgusting rod which engages in said opening sad is mounted to turn and at the same time to be held from movement longitudinally, so

that the vertical space necessary to accommodate said measuring vessel and accessories s not dependent on the adjustment of the displacer, substantially as described.

7.;The combination with means for supportln a number of separate receiving vessols, o .a number of stationary outlets provided with valves and terminating in extensible nozzles which are distinct from said valves and are telescopically connected with said stationary outlets, means for moving said valves in unison, and means for movin said nozzles in unison independently of sai nozzles and said air duct extensions in uni-- son together independently of said valves, substantially as described.

9. Thecombination with a measuring vesseI provided with a static valved outlet pmge and an adjusta le e: 'on therefor telescopically connected with said ontlet'passage beyond the valve, of a stationary air duct secured to said outlet passage, an adjustable extension for said duct telescopically connected therewith and inclosing the adjustable extension of said outlet passage, and arms connecting an adjust able extension of each kind with one of the other kind for operating them together, substantially as described.

10. A machine for filling a number of reveels simultaneously with measured quantities of liquid, comprising a supply chamber closed on top in order to exclude the aeriform contents of said chamber from the atmosphere of the room in which it is placed, a vent pipe connected with the interior of said chamber for conveying away its surplus aeriform contents, a number of measuring vmls which are vented into said chamber and communicate therewith through zationar valved passages for letting liquid into said vessels and which are also provided with stationary valved outlet pasages but are otherwise closed, stationary air ducts opening each of them at one end into thgupper part of said chamber and at the other end terminating in proximity to the termination of one of said outlet passagas, adiusta le extensions telescopically connected with said ou let passages beyond the valves, adjustable a'ifcnsions telescop1- cally connected with said air ducts, and arms connecting an adjustable extension of each land with one of the other kind for operating them together, substantially as described.

11. 'Ijhe combination with a number of measuring vessels arranged with their axes 1n the same vertical plane, of stationary outlet pipes leading from said vessels and havmg vertical portions, plug valves turning in casings included in vertical portions of said in the same vertical plane, of stationary outlet pipes leading from said vessels and havmg vertical portions, plug valves turning in and a connecting rod jointed to said operating arms for turning said plug valves unison by movements in a plane pariallgl with that in which the axes of mg scribed.

12. The combination with a number of measuring vessels, of stationary outlet pipes leading from said vessels and having vertical portions, adjustable extensions telescopically connected with vertical portions of said outlet pipes, a rock shaft, and arms slid measurwhich are fixed on said rock shaft and are jointed to said adjustable extensions for moving the same in unison, substantially as described.

13. The combination with a number of measuring vessels, of outlet pipes leading from said vessels and having vertical portions, stationary air ducts, adjustable extensions telescopically connected with said air ducts and inclosing each a vertical portion of a corresponding outlet pipe, a. rock shaft, and arms which are fixed on said rock shaft and are jointed to said adjustable extensions for moving the same in unison, substantially as described.

14. The combination with a number of measuring vessels, of stationary outlet pipes leading from said vessels and having vertical' portions, stationary air ducts attached to said outlet pipes near their outer ends, two sets of ad ustable extensions telescopically connected one set with said outlet pipes and the other set with said air ducts, a rock shaft, and arms which are fixed on said rock shaft and are connected with both sets of adjustable extensions for operating the same in unison, substantially as described.

15. A machine for filling a number of receiving vessels simultaneously with measured quantities of liquid, comprising a supply chamber, a number of measuring vessels which are provided with valved inlet passages intermediate the lower parts of said measuring vessels and said chamber and also with valved outlet passages for deves els to said receiving vessels, adjustable (lisplacers which are located in said measuring vessels above said in et passages and which approximately fill the horizontal vessels are located, substantially as de liver-lug the charges from said measuring areas of said vessels, and means for adjusting all of said displacers m order to make changes in the measured charges and also for adjusting them relatively to each other in order to compensate for inequalities and irregularities in the several measuring vessels, substantially as d'esm'ibed.

16. A machine for filling a number of receiving vessels simultaneously with measured quantities of liquid, comprising a supply chamber, a number of measuring vessels provided with valved inlet passages open ing from said chamber into the lower parts of said measuring vessels and also with valved outlet passages for delivering the measured charges to said receiving vessels, means for supplying hqmd to Sit-Id cham her, and an indicator applied to said chamher and provided with a higher and a lower level indicating mark located both of them' above said inlet passages and separated from each other by such an interval that the cubic contents of said chamber between the levels equals the sum of the measured charges in all of said measuring vessels when these are HENRY C. SMART.

Witnesses:

R. E. Ps'rrsnsox, Jens GRAHAM.

Copies of this gal ant may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent,

Washington, D. 0.

It is hereby certified that in Lowers Patent No. 1,138,511, granted May 4, 1915, upon the appiica-tinn of Henry (2. Smart, of New York, N. Y., for an improvement in Can-Filling Mmrhiuus, crrbrs, appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Pagv 2, iinv 115, fur the word vcssvi road 'rrcss'cls; page 3, line 57, for (in: \VUl'li rod road row page 4, lim- 131, (-lnim H, for Lin: wiml passages" read [)(lSbflf/F', page 5, claim 11, stl'ikv out lim-s 7%) 7H and insert the words which arr pmmulirulmto mid plane,

that the said Imbters and commasrmtlet'pipcs 0n horizontal axes upright operating arms attached to said plug mu'r/rrw miii Patent should be read with these corrections tiiviuin that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office Signed and sealed this 16th day of May, A. 1)., 19m.

[ EAL.] J T. NEW'IUN,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. Cl. 22618 

